1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sweetener composition having excellent solubility, which includes N-{N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-xcex1-aspartyl}-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester (Neotame, abbreviated hereinafter to xe2x80x9cNMxe2x80x9d) and Acesulfame K (abbreviated hereinafter to xe2x80x9cACE-Kxe2x80x9d) as active ingredients.
2. Discussion of the Background
It is reported that the sweetness strength or sweetening potency of the synthetic high-potency sweetener, NM, is about 10,000 times that of sucrose in terms of weight ratio (Japanese Patent Kohyou Publication JP-A-8-503206). The properties of sweetness quality for NM are not reported in detail, but the present inventors have found that such a compound has an extremely weak early taste (i.e., wherein the sweetener, when put in the mouth, tastes sweet as early as sucrose), and is extremely strong in later taste (i.e., wherein the sweetener tastes sweet later than sucrose). Further, NM has a strong astringent taste. Accordingly, the balance of the quality of sweetness properties for NM is poor when compared to sucrose. Sucrose is generally regarded as the standard for evaluating the properties or characteristics of the quality of sweetness.
ACE-K is a synthetic sweetener, which is similar to Aspartame (abbreviated to xe2x80x9cAPMxe2x80x9d). ACE-K has a sweetness or sweetening potency of about 200 times as high as sucrose in terms of weight ratio, but ACE-K is inferior to APM in terms of quality of sweetness because of ACE-K""s strong early taste, bitter taste, astringent taste, peculiar taste and stimuli. Various improvements for ACE-K have been proposed, including improving its quality of sweetness by using it in combination with APM (U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,068 and its corresponding Japanese Patent Kokoku Publication JP-B-5951262 etc.). In this connection, the sweetness properties or the quality of sweetness for APM are that its early taste is weak and its later taste is strong as compared to sucrose.
Various proposals have been made for improving the quality of the sweetness of NM and ACE-K, thus achieving considerable effects. However, NM has poor solubility characteristics, i.e., industrially produced NM powder (crystal) has poor dissolution characteristics (solubility) in water, i.e., it is not readily dissolved due to its easy formation of agglomerates, or otherwise its dissolution rate is low, etc. Such poor dissolution characteristics, which may result from the formation of agglomerates, or the like is significantly disadvantageous to industrial production, since the production yield of foods and drinks such as soft drinks that contain NM to confer sweetness is thereby reduced.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is thus to improve the dissolution characteristics of NM.
The present inventors have unexpectedly found that NM, when mixed with ACE-K, is prevented from forming agglomerates when dissolved, and further that the dissolution rate of this mixture is higher than that of NM alone, i.e., the dissolution rate (solubility) in general is improved.
Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention provides a sweetener composition, which includes:
a mixture of N-{N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-xcex1-aspartyl}-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester; and
Acesulfame K, wherein a ratio of the Acesulfame K to a total amount of the N-{N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-xcex1-aspartyl}-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester and the Acesulfame K is in the range of 10 to 97% by weight.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a drink composition, which includes:
a mixture of N-{N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-xcex1-aspartyl}-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester;
Acesulfame K; and
a potable liquid, wherein
a ratio of the Acesulfame K to a total amount of the N-{N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-xcex1-aspartyl}-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester and the Acesulfame K is in the range of 10 to 97% by weight.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for preparing a sweetener composition, which includes:
drying an A-type crystal of N-{N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-xcex1-aspartyl}-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester to obtain a C-type crystal of N-{N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-xcex1-aspartyl}-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for producing a sweetener, which includes:
admixing N-{N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-xcex1-aspartyl}-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester with Acesulfame K, wherein a ratio of the Acesulfame K to a total amount of the N-{N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-xcex1-aspartyl}-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester and the Acesulfame K is in the range of 10 to 97% by weight.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for improving the dissolution rate of N-{N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-xcex1-aspartyl}-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, which includes, prior to dissolving the N-{N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-xcex1-aspartyl}-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, admixing the N-{N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-xcex1-aspartyl}-L-phenylalanine 1 -methyl ester with Acesulfame K, wherein a ratio of the Acesulfame K to a total amount of the N-{N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-xcex1-aspartyl}-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester and the Acesulfame K is in the range of 10 to 97% by weight.